The Indonesian Military ready for worst-case scenario, prepares security contingency plan

(jakartapost)

The Indonesian Military (TNI) is ready for any potential social unrest stemming from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced businesses to shut their operations and put millions out of labor .

TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sisriadi said the military was preparing a security contingency decide to face the worst-case scenario.

“We’ve prepared troops to face the impact of social unrest that would cause violence. in order that we will minimize any security problems,” he said in a web discussion held by Jakarta Defense Studies on Tuesday as reported by kompas.com.

He further said that the outbreak wasn't only a health issue because it was also associated with other aspects, like social, political and economic, of peoples’ lives.





The TNI has also proposed a budget to support its contingency plans through the Defense Ministry that was presented during a gathering with House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees defense affairs, Sisriadi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

He didn't elaborate further on the budget, but said the TNI would have enough funding to face the potential security turmoil for five months if the budget proposal was approved, including collaborating with the National Police in security, public order and enforcement operations.

“The TNI is organized as a ‘war organization which will function well [during] peacetime and emergencies’ [...], so it's understandable that the military leaders on all levels will always answer the newest situations and prepare to face the worst situation,” he said.

Sisriadi explained that the force would also prepare medical assistance to mitigate the outbreak, including preparing 109 of its health facilities to be used as referral hospitals within the regions and dispatching its medical and paramedical units within the field.

“New cases are still emerging in some areas and there are still no signs that we are reaching the height of the outbreak,” he said.

The Executive Office of the President has also braced itself for potential social and security conflicts caused by the rise in unemployment, with the National Police’s counterintelligence Agency (Baintelkam) confirming the danger of riots and crimes during a time of crisis.

The government has estimated that up to three .78 million Indonesians will fall under poverty and 5.2 million will lose their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.

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